Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro has issued a thinly veiled threat to the young opposition leader trying to force him from power, hinting that Juan Guaidó could soon be imprisoned as a result of his challenge. Addressing a meeting of supporters on Monday night, Mr Maduro questioned how long Mr Guaidó – who declared himself Venezuela’s rightful interim president on 23 January – would persist with his “virtual term”. “Until 2025, too?” Mr Maduro said, referring to the six-year term he recently assumed to a storm of international condemnation. “Or until he ends up in jail by order of the supreme court of justice.”Western diplomats have expressed surprise that, nearly two weeks after he threw the gauntlet down to the incumbent leader, Mr Guaidó remained a free man. On Monday, a succession of European governments, including Britain, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain, recognised Mr Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader after Mr Maduro rebuffed their call for presidential elections.

Source: The Irish Times February 05, 2019 16:30 UTC